Table.



M. FLATHER.

'TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.25. 1913.

1, 1 59,001 Patented Nov. 915.

2 SHEETS-S mine/sees.- fnvenfir: I $04 765M Hark fiaiher,

MW 5 a COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON. D. C.

M. FLATHER.

TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25. 1913.

1 1 59,001 Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Witmsses Inventor.-

'an/ m k Flaiher,

. A I M w mtgf MARK FLATHER, or NASHUA, NEW HAMP HIRE.

TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 25, 1913. Serial No. 797,304.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, MARK FLATHER,a citizenof the United States, and a resident of .Nashua, county of Hillsboro, State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement in Tables, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. This invention relates to tables and provides a simple and ,effective construction whereby a top section may readily be de: tached from the pedestal or support.

The character of the inventionmay be best understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan of an illustrative table embodying the invention with the top removed, thereby disclosing the slides for connecting the top with the pedestal; Fig. 2 is a detached View of one face of a pedestal slide; and the face of a top sectionslide cooperating therewith; 3 is a view of the opposite face of said pedestal slide and the face of a too section slide cooperating therewith; Fig. 4: on an enlarged scale is a transverse section taken on line of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the table; Fig. 6 on an enlarged scale is a view of a setof slides showing the followers in one position; and Fig. 7 is a view of the slide shown in Fig. 6 in a different position.

Referring to the drawingthe illustrative table shown therein as embodying the invention comprises a pedestal or support 1 in the form of a column with feet 3 provided withcasters' ti. Secured to the top of this pedestal. is a block 7 having pedestal slides 9, 9 bolted or otherwise secured thereto.

The top of the table is in the form of two sections 11 and 13 which may be pulled apart and adjusted relativelyto the pedestalto permit the introduction of usual fillers (not shown) between them. The top section9 is provided on the under face thereof with slides 15 secured thereto and the top section 13 is provided on the under face thereof with slides 17 secured thereto. The slides of a top section are adjusted relatively to the stationary slides of the pedestal section in extending the top sections for the purpose of introducing fillers between them. To this end opposed faces of the top and pedestal slides-are provided with cooperating follow- Patented Nov. '2, 1915.

ers and guideways. The guideway and foli. lowers for connecting the pedestal slide 9 with the top section slide 15 will -now be described as typical of the connections for theother slides. The pedestal slide9 (Fig. 2) is provided with aguideway 19 herein in the form of a dove-tailedgroove extending the length. of said guideway. The opposed cooperating face of the top section slide 15 1s provlded with a pair of followers, herein in the form of dove-tailed blocks 21' an'd'23, I the'former being located intermediate the ends of the slide preferably adjacent the center of the slide and the follower 23 being ,located at or adjacent to the end of the slide. By the construction described a topsection may readilylbe adjusted toward and from the center of the table to permit the use of the table with or without fillers; I

a To limit the outward extension of a top section slide the pedestal slide 19 is provided witha stop 25 adj acentone end thereof adapted to be engaged by the top slide follower 21. To limit the inward extension of the top section slide relatively to the pedestal slide the former is provided with a stop recess 26 for engagement with a stop pin 26 on the pedestalslideJ It is highly desirable to provide a top which may be readily removed from the pedestal. This permits the compact storing of the table by the manufacturer and dealer; permits the compact packaging of themticle, thereby reducingthe cost of transportation; and makes possible the easy conveying of the table through narrow doorways, hallways and Stairways without marring or injuringthe table. j

At present detachable tops are made only for the more expensive types of tables- This is because the present added cost of detachable top construction will not permit their being used on cheap tables. Obviously it is equally, if not more desirable, to provide a detachable top for cheap tables than for expensive tables.

An extremely simple, cheap and effective I progressively through this ,exit opening when the top is pulled outwardaway from the center of the pedestal. When the tophas been pulled outward a predetermined amount the follower 21 (Fig. 6) will abut against the stop 25and limit further extension thereof. To permit the followers to escape past the stop 25 the guideway is provided adjacent said stop and exit opening with an enlargement 29. By adjusting the top section the follower 21 may be moved out of line with the stop 25 up into the enlargement 29 (Fig. 7 Outward pulling of the top section then will cause the follower 21 to escape from the guideway out through the exit opening in the end of the slide. Continued outward pulling of said section will cause the follower 28 to reach and escape past the stop 25. To permit the follower 23' readily and automatically to ride over said stop, it is provided with an incline 31 causing said follower 28 to dodge the stop 25 and also escape out through the exit opening 27 in the end of the slide.

By the construction described the top section may be very easily removed from the pedestal. It is merely necessary to pull the top section out to its limit of extension and then give the same a slight upward tilt and pull the top section followers progressively out through the end exit openings in the pedestal slides. An advantage in this construction resides in the fact that it permits the top to be removed by pulling it out in a natural way and without the necessity of any manual adjustment of a stop for limiting the outward extension of the section. The section is removed simply by sliding the same off the table pedestal.

Two sets of slides constructed as described are provided for connecting each of the top sections to the pedestal. Each pedestal slide is provided on one face with a groove for cooperation with a slide of one of the top sections and on the opposite face thereof with a groove for cooperation with a slide ofthe other top section, as well shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus at opposite sides of the table there is a group of three slides including an outer slide connected to one of the top sections, an outer slide connected to the other of said top sections and an intermediate slide connected to the pedestal section. As shown herein the slides connected to one of the top sections are both outside of the pedestal slides and the slides connected to the other top section are both inside or toward the center from said pedestal slides. It will be understood, however, that this arrangement is not indispensable.

A top section may be re-assembledwith the pedestal with the same facility with which it is removed. It is merely necessary to present the two top section slides to the pedestal slides so that the followers 23 are at the exit openings 27. The top is then slid in toward the center of the table with the followers 21 also passing in through the openings 27. The followers readily glide into the flaring mouths presented by said end openings and slide up over inclines on the stops 25 down into the longitudinal grooves in the pedestal slides without further attention.

Not only is the construction described extremely simple and cheap to manufacture, but also it is very easy to operate. The stops have very little depth so that a very slight lifting movement of the top sufi'ices to cause the followers to escape from them. its a result there is no liability of skewing and binding the parts, with consequent distortion. or mutilation from pulling or forcing the parts. The provision of the end exit opening in the slide and the removal of both followers through the single opening eliminates the necessity of any lateral exit opening to the groove. As a result the table may be lifted and moved from place to place by grasping the-top in any of its positions of extension without danger of inadvertently separating the top from the pedestal.

The construction is so simple and easy to operate that the simplest kind of directions will suffice to make clearly understood the adjustment of the top necessary to remove the same.

Having described one embodiment of the invention without limiting the same thereto, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A table comprising in combination, a support; top sections thereon; and means detachably connecting each section to said support including coiiperating slides, one having a guideway with an exit opening and a fixed stop, and said other having spaced followers to slide along said guideway, with provision permitting the progressive escape of said followers past said stop through said opening on a slight adjustment of one of the slides transversely relatively to the other.

2. A table comprising in combination, a support; top sections thereon; and means detachably connecting each of said sections to said support including cooperating slides, one having a guideway with an exit opening, a stop and an enlargement in said guideway adjacent to said fixed stop, and

the other having followers adapted to slide along said guideway and both escape over said stop through said enlargement and opening.

8. A table comprising in combination, a support; top sections thereon; and means detachably connecting each section to said support including a pair of slides, one having a guideway extending longitudinally thereof with an exit opening and a fixed stop adjacent said opening, and the other slide having followers for progressively passing through said opening, one follower for escape past said-stop on ad uStment of one of said slides transversely to the other,

and another follower having provision for automatic escape past said stop on the extension of one slide relatively to the other.

4. A table comprising in combination, a support; top sections thereon; and means detachably connecting each section to said support including a pair of slides, one having a guideway extending longitudinally thereof with an exit opening and a fixed stop, and the other having spaced followers secured thereto for progressive escape through said opening, one of said followers having provision for engagement with said stop to limit relative extension of said slides, and the other of said followers having provision for automatically riding over said stop through said opening on relative extension of said slides.

5. A table comprising in comblnation, a support; top sections thereon; and means 'detachably connecting each top section to said support including a pair of slides, one having a guideway extendinglongitudinally thereof with an exit and'a stop, and the other having followers for progressive escape from said exit, one follower for abutment with said stop to arrest relative extension of said slides, and the other follower having an inclined portion for causing the same automatically to ride over said stop on relative extension of said slides.

6. A table comprising in combination, a support; top sections thereon and means slides and means permitting said tongues.

progressively to escape through said end opening past said fixed stop on a combined longitudinal and transverse movement of one of said slides relatively to the other.

7. A table comprising in combination a support, top sections thereon and means detachably connecting each section to said Support including a pair of opposed slides,

one being secured to the support, and having a'longitudinal groove with'an end opening, and the other being secured to a top section and having short spaced tongues fast thereon for sliding engagement with said groove, a fixed stop in said groove for engaging with one of said tongues, to limit relative extension of said slides, with provision permitting the progressive escape of said tongues past said stop through said opening on manipulation of said table top section.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARK FLATHER.

Witnesses ADELAIDE P. FLATHER, FREEMAN F. ELKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

